decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsē-dᵊnt
law
: a person who is no longer living : a deceased person
the estate of the decedent
Examples of decedent in a Sentence
a tax on the estate of the decedent
Recent Examples on the Web
Choosing a fiscal year can allow the executor to match income and expenses more logically and simplify the process of closing out the decedent’s final financial matters.
—Ashley Case, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Days after a human skull and bones washed ashore on a beach in Palos Verdes Estates, authorities are still trying to identify the decedent and the cause of death, officials said.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
Other records include maps, old photographs, funeral home records and even death certificates, which can list the decedent’s parents.
—La Risa R. Lynch, Journal Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2024
Any adult person in the next degree of kinship in the order named by law to inherit the estate of the decedent.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 6 Mar. 2024
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Word History
Dictionary Entries Near decedent
Cite this Entry
“Decedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decedent. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt
: a deceased person
—used chiefly in law
Medical Definition
decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt
: a deceased person
—used chiefly in law
Legal Definition
decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt
: a deceased person
the estate of the decedent
Etymology
Latin decedent-, decedens, present participle of decedere to depart, die
More from Merriam-Webster on decedent
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for decedent
Britannica English: Translation of decedent for Arabic Speakers
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